[tri-med] Re: feeding tube question from a former list member

Elanor also has a bard.  I have heard some pretty icky stories on the =
list
about the bard, but we have absolutely no problems.=20
  From what I understand, the Mic-Key has to be changed, and is changed =
at
home.  When I was researching, I heard that the Bard had to be changed =
about
every year, and was done in the office.  We had Elanor's Bard for 4 =
years
before we had to have it changed--and that was only because the plug =
broke
off (the little knob that goes into the hole).  Elanor does pull the =
adapter
out of her button out as often as she can, but transpore tape in an
"idiot-loop" usually prevents this.  As for pulling the actual button =
out,
Andrew watched the dr. change her tube, and he said the way it was done =
was
the dr. put his hand on her belly, with the button between two fingers, =
and
pulled.  He said it took quite a bit of force, and it sounded like a =
cork
popping out of a bottle.  Elanor was semi-sedated, but she has a very =
high
pain tolerance, so she didn't cry or anything (she doesn't even cry when =
she
gets a shot--how lucky are we?).  I'm sure we could've had her more =
sedated
if it had been necessary, and if we had asked.  Andrew said he didn't =
see
any way she could pull the whole thing out herself, and if she even =
tried,
it probably wouldn't be real comfy, and she would stop pulling.
  I really like the fact that I don't have to do anything but keep it =
clean
and make sure it is in good condition.  Elanor had a trach tube for 6
months, and that was more "sticking things in man-made holes" than I =
could
bear!  Eric also has a bard, and it works well for him, too.  The only
drawback I can think of is that the Bard adapters don't have a med port.

Jennifer Vanderbeek, mom to Elanor, 5 (T18); Arwen, 7; caregiver to Joe, =
26
(cerebral palsy); Eric, 20 (cerebral palsy); and wife to Andrew.


-----Original Message-----
From: tri-med-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tri-med-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] =
On
Behalf Of Janet Leigh King
Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2005 9:55 AM
To: tri-med@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [tri-med] Re: feeding tube question from a former list member

Loren,

Hannah has a Bard button and we've had no problems. The feeding tube =
that
plugs in can pop out but there isn't a chance of the actual button =
pulling
out. We usually make an "idiot's loop" that we tape down anyway and it's =
not
a big deal. I think we'd do that for any kind of button. Hannah has had =
it
over 1 1/2 years now and only had to resize once. I can send a pic if =
Mimi
would like.=20



                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
                       www.trisomyonline.org
                  Families Helping Families On-line



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10/25/2005


                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
                       www.trisomyonline.org
                  Families Helping Families On-line

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